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Polyoxometalates (POMs) exhibit unique structural characteristics and excellent physical and chemical properties, which have attracted significant attention from scholars in the fields of anticancer research and chemotherapy. Herein, we successfully synthesized and structurally characterized two novel polyoxovanadates (POVs), denoted as POVs-1 and POVs-2, where [M(1-vIM)4]2[VV4O12]·H2O (M: NiII and MnII, 1-vinylimidazole abbreviated as 1-vIM) serve as ligands. The two POVs are isomeric and consist of fundamental structural units, each comprising one [V4O12]4− cluster, two [M(1-vIM)4]2+ cations, and one water molecule. Subsequently, we evaluated the cell viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2) cells treated with the synthesized POVs using the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide) assay. And the changes in cell nucleus morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), and reactive oxygen species levels in HepG-2 exposed to POVs were monitored using specific fluorescent staining techniques. Both hybrid POVs showed potent inhibitory activities, induing apoptosis in HepG-2 cells along with significant mitochondria dysfunction and a burst of reactive oxygen species. Notably, the inhibitory effects of POVs-2 were more pronounced than those of POVs-1, which is primarily attributed to the different transition metal ions present. These findings underscore the intricate relationship between the metal components, structural characteristics, and the observed antitumor activities in HepG-2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite-derived bathymetry is an economic and effective method of obtaining large-scale, high-resolution bathymetric information. At present, bathymetric inversion models require existing bathymetric data as a necessary condition, but these may be difficult to obtain around many small islands. Under the condition of sparse measurement data, many common methods have low levels of accuracy. This paper proposes a method of transferring a bathymetric model for an island that has in situ data to an island that has little in situ data. First, in situ data are used to establish a high-precision satellite bathymetry model for a given island. Second, this model is transplanted to other islands. The addition of just 2–3 data points to correct the model results can reduce the mean relative error to 6.62% in the range of 0–20 m. This is close to the accuracy of establishing the model using a large number of measurement data (mean relative error of 5.25%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uvaria sanyaensis F.W. Xing sp. nov. (Annonaceae) is described and illustrated from Sanya, Hainan, China. It is similar to Uvaria boniana in not having any stellate hairs except on the flowers, but differs from it by its flowers being maroon red, fruits ovate, ca 8 mm wide, bright red when ripe, leaves coriaceous, ovate or narrowly elliptic, with unclear ring knot curved pinnate veins, and by shorter pedicels which are ca 1.5 cm and monocarp stipes ca 8.2 mm long. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From modular vaccine production to protein assembly on nanoparticles, the SpyCatcher/SpyTag system provides a convenient plug-and-display procedure. Here, we established a general-purpose immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) method for SpyTagged proteins (Spy&IAC). SpyTags are displayed on the surface of nanoparticles to induce high-affinity monoclonal antibodies, allowing the specific capture of the target protein. Taking the key core antigenic regions of two coronaviruses that are currently more threatened in the field of human and animal diseases, the nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 and the COE protein of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) as model proteins, a purification model with SpyTag at the N-terminal or C-terminal expressed in E. coli or mammalian cells was constructed. After the efficient elution of Spy&IAC, the final yield of several proteins is about 3.5–15 mg/L culture, and the protein purity is above 90 %. Purification also preserves the assembly function and immunogenicity of the protein to support subsequent modular assembly and immunization programs. This strategy provides a general tool for the efficient purification of SpyTagged proteins from different expression sources and different tag positions, enabling the production of modular vaccines at lower cost and in a shorter time, which will prepare the public health field for potential pandemic threats. [Display omitted] • The high-affinity monoclonal antibody was prepared by the multivalent display of nanoparticles. • An immunoaffinity chromatography method was established for the first time for the purification of SpyTagged proteins. • The assembly function and immunogenicity of elution SpyTagged protein were retained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient intracavity frequency-doubled diamond Raman laser output at 620 nm wavelength is demonstrated. Laser output power of 750 mW at central wavelength of 620.1 nm was achieved successfully at a repetition rate of 2 kHz. The optical conversion efficiency was up to 11.0%. The laser beam M2 factors were less than 1.6 and 1.3 in the x and y directions, respectively. This intracavity diamond Raman laser offers a new way towards generating efficient pulsed Raman red laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient CO2 adsorbent with a hierarchically micro-mesoporous structure and a large number of amine groups was fabricated by a two-step synthesis technique. Its structural properties, surface groups, thermal stability and CO2 adsorption performance were fully investigated. The analysis results show that the prepared CO2 adsorbent has a specific hierarchically micro-mesoporous structure and highly uniformly dispersed amine groups that are favorable for the adsorption of CO2. At the same time, the CO2 adsorption capacity of the prepared adsorbent can reach a maximum of 3.32 mmol-CO2/g-adsorbent in the actual flue gas temperature range of 303–343 K. In addition, the kinetic analysis results indicate that both the adsorption process and the desorption process have rapid adsorption/desorption rates. Finally, the fitting of the CO2 adsorption/desorption experimental data by Avrami's fractional kinetic model shows that the CO2 adsorption rate is mainly controlled by the intra-particle diffusion rate, and the temperature has little effect on the adsorption rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The N -doped carbon encapsulated Zn 2 VO 4 polyhedron composite (ZVO/NC) with enhanced pseudocapacitive behavior for Li+/Na+/K+ storages are designed and fabricated by a self-assembly strategy and followed by the calcination procedure. [Display omitted] • The Zn 2 VO 4 nanocrystals embedded in N -doped carbon was derived from V/Zn-MOFs. • The Zn 2 VO 4 phase was used as anode of SIBs/PIBs for the first time. • Excellent stability and high capacity were realized for SIBs (145 mAh g−1 at 7000th cycles). In this work, we fabricated vanadium/zinc metal–organic frameworks (V/Zn-MOFs) derived from self-assembled metal organic frameworks, to further disperse ultrasmall Zn 2 VO 4 nanoparticles and encapsulate them in a nitrogen-doped nanocarbon network (ZVO/NC) under in situ pyrolysis. When employed as an anode for lithium-ion batteries, ZVO/NC delivers a high reversible capacity (807 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1) and excellent rate performance (372 mAh g−1 at 8.0 A g−1). Meanwhile, when used in sodium-ion batteries, it exhibits long-term cycling stability (7000 cycles with 145 mAh g−1 at 2.0 A g−1). Additionally, when employed in potassium-ion batteries, it also shows outstanding electrochemical performance with reversible capacities of 264 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and 140 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 for 1000 cycles. The mechanism by which the pseudocapacitive behaviour of ZVO/NC enhances battery performance under a suitable electrolyte was probed, which offers useful enlightenment for the potential development of anodes of alkali-ion batteries. The performance of Zn 2 VO 4 as an anode for SIBs/PIBs was investigated for the first time. This work provides a new horizon in the design ZVO/NC as a promising anode material owing to the intrinsically synergic effects of mixed metal species and the multiple valence states of V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three organic–inorganic hybridized Mo/Pd-based complexes have been achieved and the reduced dinuclear oxomolybdates exhibited the efficient activities for the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohols. [Display omitted] • Three organic–inorganic hybridized Mo/Pd-based complexes have been synthesized. • Tetrabenzylthiuram disulfide plays the key role of the reducing agent, favoring for the formation of reducible oxomolybdates. • The reduced-state oxomolybdates act as an efficient catalyst in the selective aerobic oxidation of alcohols under ambient pressure. • This catalyst can be recycled three times without obvious decrease of its activity. • The plausible catalytic mechanism for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol catalyzed by reduced-state oxomolybdates was also proposed. Organic-inorganic hybrid crystalline compounds have demonstrated outstanding potential utilization in a wide range of catalytic applications. Herein, three organic–inorganic hybrids Mo/Pd-based complexes Mo 2 O 4 (CF 3 COO) 2 (DMSO) 4 (compound 1), Pd(C 6 H 5 CH 2) 2 NCS 2) 2 (compound 2) and Pd[(CH 3) 2 CHCH 2 NCS 2 ] 2 (compound 3) have been controllably synthesized and fully characterized. Remarkably, benefiting from coordinated solvent molecules, the dinuclear oxomolybdates 1 exhibits the efficient homogeneous catalytic activities for the selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohols under ambient pressure (yields up to 90%). Moreover, compound 1 can be reused three cycles in the reactions without significant loss of activity and the possible catalytic mechanisms also be proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to develop a novel organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterial from agricultural biomass waste for environmental applications. The sugarcane bagasse (SB) supported TiO 2 hybrids were firstly synthesized via a sol-gel method. A series of characterizations were carried out to reveal the structures and components of obtained hybrids. Due to organic-inorganic hybrid (OIH) effect and element doping, the SB-TiO 2 hybrid can expand its optical absorbance ranging from ultraviolet to visible light. The optimal hybrid catalyst prepared with SB doping amount of 2 g in 100 mL titanic gel and calcined at 200 °C was able to degradate 95.0% methyl orange (MO) in 5 h under visible light. This study will pave a new and facile pathway for novel visible light driven photocatalysts based on TiO 2 modified by agricultural biomass waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acquisition of high-resolution (HR) digital bathymetric models (DBMs) is crucial for oceanic research activities. However, obtaining HR DBM data is challenging, which has led to the use of super-resolution (SR) methods to improve the DBM's resolution, as, unfortunately, existing interpolation methods for DBMs suffer from low precision, which limits their practicality. To address this issue, we propose a seabed terrain feature extraction transform model that combines the seabed terrain feature extraction module with the efficient transform module, focusing on the terrain characteristics of DBMs. By taking advantage of these two modules, we improved the efficient extraction of seabed terrain features both locally and globally, and as a result, we obtained a highly accurate SR reconstruction of DBM data within the study area, including the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean and the adjacent sea. A comparative analysis with bicubic interpolation, SRCNN, SRGAN, and SRResNet shows that the proposed method decreases the root mean square error (RMSE) by 16%, 10%, 13%, and 12%, respectively. These experimental results confirm the high accuracy of the proposed method in terms of reconstructing HR DBMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The c-Myb protein is a vital transcription factor that regulates the differentiation of hematopoietic cells. Previous works have noticed that c-Myb is involved in an epigenetic control mechanism, in which the c-Myb DNA-binding domain (DBD) binds to the N-terminal histone tail of H3 to facilitate it acetylation and activate endogenous differentiation genes, while the leukemogenic mutant of c-Myb does not have these functions. However, whether c-Myb has corresponding biologic functions on the differentiation of other cells except for hematopoietic cells has not been explored. In our studies, we constructed the c-Myb wild type and its leukemogenic mutant DBD recombinant adenovirus with replication-defective adenoviral vectors carrying the GFP gene. We compared their roles on adipogenic differentiation efficiency in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Our results demonstrated that the overexpression of c-Myb could enhance adipogenic differentiation in hMSCs, while the overexpression of its leukemogenic mutant blocked the adipogenic differentiation to a certain extent. These suggest that c-Myb play an important role in the hMSCs differentiation too, which is consistent with the epigenetic control mechanism of c-Myb. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) is one of the major pathologic features in atherosclerosis. The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) pathway has been shown to provide survival signals in VSMCs and PDGF receptors are also highly expressed in VSMCs contained in the plaques of atherosclerosis. However, the downstream targets of PDGF signaling are unclear. In the current study, we show that PDGF signals stimulate the protein expression of c-Myb in human arterial VSMCs. Inhibition of c-Myb function in VSMCs enhanced apoptosis in PDGF treated VSMCs. Our data suggest that c-Myb functions as a downstream target of the PDGF survival pathway and suggest that c-Myb plays an essential role in adult VSMC survival. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Micro-mesoporous silicon materials were prepared using silicate filtrate produced from fly ash as a silicon source. Then, the micro-mesoporous silica material was used as the carrier and amine compounds as modifiers to prepare a micro-mesoporous CO 2 adsorbent. Afterwards, the structural properties, surface groups, thermal stability of micro-mesoporous silicon materials and micro-mesoporous CO 2 adsorbent were studied. The results reveal that the micro-mesoporous CO 2 adsorbent maintains the same micro-mesoporous structure as the micro-mesoporous silica material. And the thermal stability temperatures of adsorbent is below 383 K. Later, the CO 2 adsorption performance and kinetic characteristics of adsorption process were studied through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and adsorption column experiments. The results indicated that the optimal CO 2 adsorption capacity of 2.31 mmol/g-adsorbent was achieved at 343 K, and the adsorption capacity remained basically unchanged after 10 adsorption/desorption cycles. Dynamics studies have shown that the Avrami fraction model fits the CO 2 isothermal adsorption curve very well, and the fitting results reveal that the intra-particle diffusion dominates the speed of the adsorption process. Additionally, the Yasyerli deactivation model can perfectly fit the CO 2 adsorption breakthrough curve, and the fitting results indicate that the CO 2 adsorption process is the deactivation process of the adsorbent. Finally, the adsorption/desorption kinetic simulation parameters can be used for the design and optimization of CO 2 adsorption and desorption processes in industry. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • P-Pd nanoparticles were facilely prepared based on polyphosphide chemistry. • The soluble phosphorus anion was used as both P source and reducing agent. • P significantly improves catalytic activity through size and electronic effects. • The P-Pd exhibited surprising anti-CO poisoning ability. • DFT calculations showed the indirect pathway was inhabited by P-doping. In this work, we reported a novel polyphosphide strategy for the synthesis of phosphorus doped Pd (P-Pd) using red phosphorus as the starting material at quasi-ambient conditions. Polyphophide anions, as the key reaction intermediates, served as the reducing agent and phosphorus source to modulate the surface electronic structure of Pd. The P-Pd obtained exhibited topmost CO tolerance and electrocatalytic activity to formic acid oxidation among the state-of-arts reports. The mass activity and turnover frequency of P-Pd reached 4413 mA mg−1 Pd and 16.04 s−1 at 0.8 V, which were 23.7 and 6.4 times that of commercial Pd/C respectively. After 1000 repeated cycles, 82% initial activity was reserved. Combined with the electrochemical analysis and the density functional theory calculation, the boosted electrochemical performances can be attributed to the size and electronic effects induced by the P doping, which increase the surface actives sites, inhibit the adsorption of CO and change the reaction pathway to favorable CO 2 route. A full cell was also assembled to demonstrate the practical potential of the P-Pd, which showed a maximum power density of 21.56 mW cm−2. This polyphophide-based reaction route provides a new strategy for the preparation of efficient and durable phosphorus doped alloys for electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly infectious pathogen with a high mortality rate, which poses a serious threat to newborn piglets. A rapid, safe and effective vaccine is necessary for protecting pigs from PED infection. Nanoparticles have become molecular scaffolds for displaying soluble antigens due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Here, a vaccine candidate was based on the display of PEDV S1 protein on a mi3 nanoparticle platform using SpyTag/SpyCatcher technology. The size, zeta potential and microstructure of the S1-mi3 NPs were investigated, and their effects on the uptake of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) were analyzed. Mice were immunized via muscular and intranasal administrations, and the levels of humoral, cellular and mucosal immune responses were analyzed. As a result, S1 proteins were surface-displayed on NPs successfully, which self-assembled into nanoparticles composed of 60 subunits and showed superior safety and stability. In addition, mi3 NPs promoted antigen internalization and dendritic cell (DCs) maturation. In the mouse model, S1-mi3 NPs significantly increased the PEDV-specific antibody including serum IgG, secretory IgA (SIgA) and neutralizing antibodies (NAb). Furthermore, S1-mi3 NPs elicited more CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ T cell and cellular immune-related cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-4) compared to monomeric S1. In particular, it can induce an effective germinal center-specific (GC) B cell response, which is closely related to the production of neutralizing antibodies. Overall, S1-mi3 NPs are a promising subunit vaccine candidate against PEDV, and this self-assembly NPs also provide an attractive platform for improving vaccine efficacy against emerging pathogens. ● S1-mi3 nanoparticles significantly enhance humoral, mucosal and cellular immune responses. ● Nanoparticle-based S1 vaccine induces high-level neutralizing antibodies. ● S1-mi3 NPs elicit potent GC B cell responses in vivo. ● mi3 NPs promote the internalization and retention of S1 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a persistent global threat to public health. As for the emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2, it is necessary to develop vaccines that can induce broader immune responses, particularly vaccines with weak cellular immunity. Methods: In this study, we generated a double-layered N-S1 protein nanoparticle (N-S1 PNp) that was formed by desolvating N protein into a protein nanoparticle as the core and crosslinking S1 protein onto the core surface against SARS-CoV-2. Results: Vaccination with N-S1 PNp elicited robust humoral and vigorous cellular immune responses specific to SARS-CoV-2 in mice. Compared to soluble protein groups, the N-S1 PNp induced a higher level of humoral response, as evidenced by the ability of S1-specific antibodies to block hACE2 receptor binding and neutralize pseudovirus. Critically, N-S1 PNp induced Th1-biased, long-lasting, and cross-neutralizing antibodies, which neutralized the variants of SARS-CoV-2 with minimal loss of activity. N-S1 PNp induced strong responses of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, mDCs, Tfh cells, and GCs B cells in spleens. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that N-S1 PNp vaccination is a practical approach for promoting protection, which has the potential to counteract the waning immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants and confer broad efficacy against future new variants. This study provides a new idea for the design of next-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines based on the B and T cells response coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline (NC) structure can lead to the considerable strengthening of metals and alloys. Obtaining appropriate comprehensive mechanical properties is always the goal of metallic materials. Here, a nanostructured Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr-Sc alloy was successfully processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) followed by natural aging. The microstructures and mechanical properties of the naturally aged HPT alloy were analyzed. The results show that the naturally aged HPT alloy primarily consists of nanoscale grains (~98.8 nm), nano-sized precipitates (20–28 nm in size), and dislocations (1.16 × 1015 m−2), and exhibits a high tensile strength of 851 ± 6 MPa and appropriate elongation of 6.8 ± 0.2%. In addition, the multiple strengthening modes that were activated and contributed to the yield strength of the alloy were evaluated according to grain refinement strengthening, precipitation strengthening, and dislocation strengthening, and it is shown that grain refinement strengthening and precipitation strengthening are the main strengthening mechanisms. The results of this study provide an effective pathway for achieving the optimal strength–ductility match of materials and guiding the subsequent annealing treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanin is a kind of dark insoluble pigment that can cause pigmentation and free-radical clearance, inducing melasma, freckles, and chloasma, affecting the quality of life of patients. Due to poor water solubility and low safety, the absorption of poorly water-soluble drugs is limited by the hinderance of a skin barrier. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new, safe, and highly efficient drugs to improve their transdermal absorption efficiency and thus to inhibit the production of melanin. To address these issues, we developed a new nicotinamide (NIC)-stabilized phloretin nanocrystals (PHL-NCs). First, NC technology significantly increased the solubility of PHL. The in vitro release results indicated that at 6 h, the dissolution of the PHL-NIC-NCs was 101.39% ± 2.40% and of the PHL-NCs was 84.92% ± 4.30%, while that of the physical mixture of the two drugs was only 64.43% ± 0.02%. Second, NIC acted not only as a stabilizer to enlarge the storage time of PHL-NIC-NCs (improved to 10-day in vitro stability) but also as a melanin transfer inhibitor to inhibit melanin production. Finally, we verified the melanin inhibition effect of PHL-NIC-NCs evaluated by the zebrafish model. It showed that 0.38 mM/L PHL-NIC-NCs have a lower tyrosinase activity at 62.97% ± 0.52% and have less melanin at 36.57% ± 0.44%. The inhibition effect of PHL-NCs and PHL-NIC-NCs was stronger compared to the positive control arbutin. In conclusion, the combination of NIC and PHL achieves better inhibition of tyrosinase and inhibition of melanin production through synergism. This will provide a direction to the subsequent development of melanin-inhibiting drugs and the combined use of pharmaceutical agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF) caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV) is becoming a serious threat to the swine industry worldwide. CD2v is a key pathogenic factor of ASFV and the protective antigen with low immunogenicity, whereas viral protein-based nanoparticles have advantages of precise assembly and high immunogenicity. In this study, the CD2v protein fused with Norovirus (NoV) P particle assembled into nanoparticle for improved immunogenicity. Then, CD2v protein nanoparticle and monomer CD2v protein were expressed in HEK293F cells. The former induced higher levels of antibodies, and thus highly potent monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated and characterized. The highest antibody titration of mAb 10A3 reached 1:2048000, and mAb 2E9 had the highest inhibition percent of 84% when competed with ASFV positive serum. Meanwhile, all mAbs reacted specifically with the denatured CD2v protein, and the linear epitope with the location of amino acids 28th to 51st of CD2v extracellular domain sequence was identified. In summary, this study produced a highly immunogenic CD2v protein and generated high-titer mAbs, the precise location of linear epitope on the CD2v was further determined. These findings may provide a powerful help for etiology and serological detection of ASFV. • Highly immunogenic CD2v protein nanoparticle was obtained. • High-titer mAbs induced by CD2v protein nanoparticle were generated, and mAb 10A3 had the highest antibody titration of 1:2048000. • The linear epitope from the 28th to the 51st position of amino acids locating in the CD2v extracellular domain sequence was first reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object detection is a key technique for automatic information extraction, analysis and understanding of high spatial resolution remote-sensing images (HSRIs). Object anchor scales are a critical factor for object detection of HSRIs based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). With respect to adaptively obtaining optimal object anchor scales for object detection of HSRIs, this paper proposes a novel object detection method for HSRIs based on CNNs with optimal object anchor scales. First, optimal object anchor scales for object detection of HSRIs are obtained using an adaptive object-scale learning operator. Then, a CNN object detection framework for HSRIs is designed based on optimal object anchor scales. Using multiple-object detection datasets, the proposed method is compared with some state-of-the-art object detection algorithms. Experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve 90.42%, 91.98% and 85.07% mAP on WHU-RSONE, UCAS-AOD and HSRC2016, respectively, and outperforms state-of-the-art object detection algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cannabinoid receptor 1 (CBR1) is being widely investigated because of its specific structure and functions compared with other cannabinoid receptors. In this study, we immunized BALB/c mice with synthesized human CBR1 polypeptide and obtained a novel monoclonal antibody (MAb) against human CBR1. Analysis through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), spot-ELISA, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry revealed that the MAb was specifically against recombinant human CBR1 protein, and its subtype and affinity constant (Kaff) were IgG2b/k and 7.85×108 M/L, respectively. Using this MAb we found that CBR1 is expressed on HL-7702 cells and lipid tissue, raising the possibility that the CBR1 may take a role in glucose and lipid metabolism. Thus, this antibody might facilitate studies for pathophysiology of diseases associated with glucose and lipid metabolism abnormality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wide Field of View (WFV) imaging system equipped on the GaoFen-6 (GF-6) optical remote sensing satellite can acquire an image with a swath width 800 km and a resolution of 16 m, which is the largest Earth observation swath width among similar satellites in the world. With the advantages of the high spatial resolution and the wide field of view, GF-6 WFV images are widely used in agricultural resources monitoring, forestry resources investigation, and disaster relief. However, the existence of clouds is inevitable problem in GF-6 WFV images, which influences their availability. To quickly and accurately detect cloud areas in GF-6 WFV images, a cloud detection method for GF-6 WFV images based on the spectrum and variance of superpixels is proposed in the paper. First, the GF-6 WFV image is down-sampled. The simple linear iterative clustering algorithm is used to segment down-sampled images to obtain superpixels. The initial cloud detection result is obtained based on the spectrum of superpixels. Second, the initial cloud detection result is refined based on the variance of superpixels to eliminate the influence of cloud-like ground objects. Finally, the refined cloud detection result is post-processed using the region growing algorithm and expansion algorithm. The post-processed cloud detection result is up-sampled to obtain cloud detection result of the GF-6 WFV image. The experimental results show that the recall and precision of the proposed method are 84.61% and 88.46%, respectively, providing good cloud detection results for GF-6 WFV images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synergistic micro-alloying with Ti–Zr effectively enhances the mechanical properties of cast Al–Cu–Mn alloys. In this study, the connection between microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Al–Cu–Mn alloy through gravity casting was investigated with synergistic addition of Ti and Zr elements, aiming to promote the strength and toughness of Al–Cu–Mn alloy. The results showed that synergistic addition of 0.15 wt%Ti and 0.2 wt%Zr refined grains owing to the constitutional supercooling caused by Ti and Zr. A large number of Al3(Ti,Zr)-L12 dispersoids with core–shell structure uniformly precipitated within the grains during the solution process. The Al3(Ti,Zr) dispersoids served as heterogeneous nucleation sites for θ′(Al2Cu) precipitates during aging. As confirmed by quantitative analysis, Ti–Zr-modified alloys (with 0.15 wt%Ti and 0.2 wt%Zr) exhibited finer and more densely populated θ′ precipitates than unmodified alloys, resulting in superior mechanical properties. In the peak-aged state, the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of Ti–Zr-modified alloy were 530.5 MPa, 462.8 MPa and 7.6%, respectively, which were mainly ascribed to grain boundaries strengthening, solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening. This work is expected to provide reliable theoretical guidance for the successful preparation of high-strength and high toughness Ti–Zr-modified aluminum alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Two ultrastable polyoxometalates-based zeolite-like frameworks have been firstly in-situ synthesized. • PZFs are highly stable over wide pH range, various solvents and higher temperature. • PZFs boosted the heterogeneous catalysis for one-pot tandem conversion of HMF. • PZFs could be easily separated and reused for five cycles with no significant loss of catalytic activity. The cascade conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) using a single-component catalyst to produce valuable biomass chemicals represents a challenging and intriguing area for investigation. In this study, we present the remarkable potential of two ultrastable polyoxometalates-based zeolite-like frameworks (PZFs), {[La(H 2 O) 3 Cl 0.5 (pdc)][La(H 2 O) 4 (pdc)]} 2 [PMo 12 O 40 ]·2H 2 O (PZF-1) and [La(H 2 O) 4 (pdc)] 4 [SiW 12 O 40 ]·2H 2 O (PZF-2) (H 2 pdc = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate) that can be self-assembled from the commercialized raw materials by the facile hydrothermal reaction under the controllable pH environments and their cascade conversion of biomass chemicals for the first time. The structural analyses have unequivocally demonstrated the in-situ formation of Keggin-type polyoxometalates, which are encapsulated within the cationic Lewis-acid Lanthanide-organic frameworks. The syntheses yield highly stable and tolerant crystalline bifunctional PZFs catalysts, capable of withstanding thermal conditions (up to 425 °C) and a wide pH range (pH = 1–11) far better than those reported cases. Most notably, PZF-1 demonstrated outstanding catalytic performance in the cascade reactions of HMF oxidation and 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) Knoevenagel condensation, achieving remarkable yields of up to 99 %. The structure of PZF-1 remained well-preserved even after undergoing five cycles of catalytic reaction. These encouraging findings provide a solid foundation for the further development of PZFs catalysts for the advancement of biomass conversion processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: While the emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and related infections pose serious threats to global public health, the epidemiology and associated risk factors remain poorly understood and vary by geography. METHODS: In a case-controlled retrospective study, we examined the prevalence, patient background and risk factors for CRE colonisation and infections, and all patient-derived CRE from January 2015 to January 2017. Isolated carbapenem-susceptible Enterobacteriaceae (CSE) from 2875 enrolled patients were randomly selected during the study. RESULTS: CRE colonisation and infections detection rates were 47/2875 (1.6%). Respiratory tract specimens were most frequently seen in 20/47 (42.6%) cases. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the main isolate in 35/47 (74.5%) CRE. As for carbapenemase, KPC-2-producing bacteria was most frequently detected in 38/47 (80.9%) Enterobacteriaceae. No underlying conditions (P = 0.004), pulmonary diseases (P = 0.018) and no antibiotics used prior to culture within 30 days (P < 0.001) were statistically significant between the CRE and CSE groups. CONCLUSION: Klebsiellapneumoniae was the main isolate of CRE. The blaKPC-2 was the predominant CRE gene. Underlying conditions especially pulmonary diseases and antibiotics used prior to culture within 30 days represented key risk factors for acquisition of CRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High resolution multibeam bathymetry revealed the occurrence of numerous craterlike depressions, so-called pockmarks, in the sea floor of the North Yellow Sea Basin (NYSB). To investigate whether these pockmarks are related to any type of fluid flow or gas seepage from subsurface stratum, acoustic survey and box samplings were conducted in a selected area containing several typical pockmarks. This allowed for an integrated analysis of the morphology, distribution, and subsurface strata as well as a direct comparison of seafloor characteristics among different areas inside and outside of a pockmark. Additionally, surface sediments were analyzed for particle structure and grain size. Based on the combination of multibeam bathymetry and backscatter intensity data, 282 seafloor depressions were accurately identified. Moreover, the formation of pockmark can be attributed to existence of gas chimneys and other shallow gases revealed by shallow seismic profile records in the subsurface strata. Sediments inside and outside the pockmark showed remarkable discrepancies in terms of grain size, and benthic fauna. Additionally, strong internal reflection area was observed inside the depressions where benthic habitats are abundant and sediments contain strawberry pyrite and carbonate cementation. Side scan sonar also recorded sediment plumes in the water column, which indicates that the pockmarks are still active. Several "pearl-string-like" accumulations of pockmark were found in the study area, which well agree with the distribution of buried channels and lakes. These results thus provide new insights in interpreting shallow water fluid seepage, with implications for our current knowledge of overall sedimentation process in offshore continental shelves. • Active fluid seepage in shallow water continental shelf environment • Shallow-gas related acoustic features recorded on sub-bottom acoustic data • Benthic fauna anomalies, and strawberry pyrite associated with seafloor seeps • The large but shallow pockmarks can be ascribed to low fluid pressure. • String like distribution of pockmarks controlled by subsurface buried channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly infectious and lethal viral disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). The four prominent loop structures on the surface of the primary structural protein P72 are considered to be key protective epitopes. In this study, the four critical loops (ER1–4) of the ASFV p72 protein were individually fused to hepatitis B virus core particles (HBc) and self-assembled into nanoparticles to preserve the natural conformation of the loop structure and enhance its immunogenicity. Then, four recombinant proteins were obtained in E. coli expression system and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were developed and characterized. All 10 mAbs obtained were able to react with P72 protein and ASFV with potencies up to 1:204 800. Amino acids 250–274, 279–299 and 507–517 of the P72 protein were identified as linear epitopes and highly conserved. The mAb 4G8 showed the highest inhibition rate of 84% against ASFV positive sera. Importantly, neutralization experiments illustrated that mAb 4G8 has a 67% inhibition rate, indicating that its corresponding epitopes are potential candidates for ASFV vaccine. In conclusion, highly immunogenic nanoparticles of the ASFV P72 key loop were constructed to induce the production of highly effective mAbs and clarify their epitope information for the diagnosis and prevention of ASFV. • Four recombinant VLPs with preserved natural structure and enhanced immunogenicity were obtained. • High titers of monoclonal antibodies were induced with VLPs, and monoclonal antibody 4G8 had the highest antibody titer of 1:2048000. • Amino acids 250–274, 279–299 and 507–517 of the P72 protein were identified as linear epitopes and highly conserved. • The mAb 4G8 showed the highest inhibition rate of 84% against ASFV positive sera. More importantly, the mAb 4G8 inhibited the replication of the virus by 67%, indicating that its corresponding epitopes are potential vaccine candidate antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is an important woody oilseed species cultivated throughout the world. In this study, comparative transcript profiling was performed using high-throughput RNA sequencing technology at the following three stages of walnut fat synthesis in the “Lvling” walnut cultivar: the initial developmental stage (L1), the fast developing stage (L2), and the last developing stage (L3). A total of 68.18 GB of data were obtained on the three developmental stages, and 92% to 94% of clean data were able to be located to the reference genome. Further comparisons of the transcripts in the three libraries revealed that 724, 2027, and 4817 genes were differentially expressed between the L2 and L1 (L2vsL1), L3 and L2 (L3vsL2), and L3 and L1 (L3vsL1) samples, respectively. Through the GO gene enrichment analysis, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in L2vsL1, L3vsL2, and L3vsL1 were enriched into 3, 0, and 2 functional categories, respectively. According to the KEGG enrichment analysis, DEGs in L2vsL1, L3vsL2, and L3vsL1 were annotated into 77, 110, and 3717 taxonomic metabolic pathways in the KEGG database, respectively. Next, we analyzed expression levels of genes related to fat synthesis. Our results indicated that ACCase, LACS, and FAD7 were the key genes related to fat synthesis. The high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of walnut in different developmental stages has greatly enriched the current genomic available resources. The comparison of DEGs under different developmental stages identified a wealth of candidate genes involved in fat synthesis, which will facilitate further genetic improvement and molecular studies of the walnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interfacial precipitation of reinforced particles has a critical influence on particle-reinforced aluminum-matrix composites. In this study, TiB 2 interfacial precipitation of 6 wt% TiB 2 /Al–10Zn–2.3 Mg–2Cu–0.12Zr composite was studied. The results demonstrate that the TiB 2 surface has a considerable impact on precipitation during different states of the composite preparation process (including heat treatments). The TiB 2 surface acted as a nucleation site for D0 23 –Al 3 Zr and was wrapped with the T phase during solidification; a good orientation relationship existed between TiB 2 and D0 23 –Al 3 Zr: (0 0 0 1) TiB2 //(1 ‾ 0 3 ‾) D023–Al3Zr , (1 0 1 ‾ 0) TiB2 //(1 0 5 ‾) D023–Al3Zr , and [ 1 2 1 ‾ 0] TiB2 //[0 1 0] D023–Al3Zr. After homogenization or solution, the TiB 2 wall hindering solute atoms diffused into the matrix, particularly for Mg and Cu, causing the T phase to dissolve incompletely, and the residual T phase on the TiB 2 surface transformed to the S phase layer at a longer holding time. Additionally, the hindering effect of the TiB 2 walls results in the enhancement of the local high solute atom concentration and provides a high precipitation driving force. Therefore, the interfacial phase, Mg(Cu 2-X Zn X), preferentially precipitated at the D0 23 –Al 3 Zr and S phase interface during peak aging. In this process, the periodic misfit dislocations of the interface facilitate the diffusion of solute atoms and reduce the nucleation energy barrier, promoting interfacial precipitation. Eventually, the interfacial precipitates layer relieved the local stress concentration but consumed the solute atoms, which was considered to be beneficial to plasticity at the cost of strength weakening to achieve excellent comprehensive mechanical properties. • D0 23 –Al 3 Zr phases precipitated at the TiB 2 interface during the composite solidification. • The residual T phase at the TiB 2 interface transformed into the S phase during homogenization or solution. • The interfacial phase Mg(Cu 2-X Zn X) preferential precipitated at the interface of D0 23 –Al 3 Zr and S phase during peak aging. • The interfacial precipitates improve the plasticity at the cost of strength weakening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pockmarks are circular or elliptical depressions in the seabed that are geomorphologically similar but otherwise distinct from volcanic craters. Pockmarks are found at various depths in the ocean including on the continental shelf, the continental slope and the deep-sea plain. This paper presents data covering a large-scale pockmark group in the middle part of the shallow sea sedimentary plain of the North Yellow Sea at a water depth of 51–58 m. The distribution of pockmarks within this group is very dense, and pockmark diameters range from several hundred meters to several kilometers. Based on multibeam echo sounder data, a high-resolution image of the pockmark area is obtained by efficient image processing methods. The textural features of the seabed surface layer are then described and analyzed. Multibeam echo sounder backscatter data are combined with seabed sediment sampling data to develop a statistical model linking seabed backscatter sonar strength and sediment grain-size characteristics. Additionally, an improved BP neural network is used to realize rapid and automatic classification and identification of seabed sediment types. Fine-scale processing analysis of sonar images and acoustic classification of seabed sediments as presented in this paper are useful for determining seabed surface textures and local sediment distribution laws. This study thus provides a basis for further study of the formation and evolution of seabed pockmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• miR-192-5p is demonstrated as a downregulated miRNA in rheumatoid arthritis. • miR-192-5p targets and negatively regulates RAC2 in rheumatoid arthritis. • BMSCs-derived exosomes contain more abundant miR-192-5p expression than BMSCs. • miR-192-5p-overexpresed exosomes attenuates severity of rheumatoid arthritis in rats. • miR-192-5p-modified BMSCs may be beneficial for the treatment of RA. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease closely correlated to synovial tissue inflammation. Exosomes are known to transfer microRNAs (miRNAs) between cells and have been validated as the vehicles for delivery of therapeutic molecules. The current study was set to examine the functional values of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-secreted exosomal miR-192-5p (exo-miR-192-5p) on inflammation in RA. Following the screening of differentially expressed genes in RA and miRNA-mRNA target prediction, BMSCs were infected with lentivirus expressing miR-192-5p to obtain miR-192-5p-overexpressed exosomes. To study the effect of exo-miR-192-5p on the expression of ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 (RAC2), collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat models were established, and the clinical and histopathological changes were evaluated in the rats injected with exosomes. Subsequently, the expression patterns of pro-inflammatory factors were determined by ELISA. miR-192-5p was found to be down-regulated, while RAC2 was up-regulated in RA samples. Bioinformatics prediction revealed that the up-regulated RAC2 in RA may be regulated by miR-192-5p, which was further confirmed by dual luciferase reporter gene assay. The clinical arthritic scores, joint destruction, and inflammatory response were reduced after the injection of exosomes in rats with CIA targeting RAC2, and the treatment efficacy was even better with miR-192-5p-overexpressed exosomes. Our study established that the BMSCs-secreted exosomal miR-192-5p can delay the event of the inflammatory response in RA and may represent a possible therapeutic strategy for the treatment of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE While the emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and related infections pose serious threats to global public health, the epidemiology and associated risk factors remain poorly understood and vary by geography. METHODS In a case-controlled retrospective study, we examined the prevalence, patient background and risk factors for CRE colonisation and infections, and all patient-derived CRE from January 2015 to January 2017. Isolated carbapenem-susceptible Enterobacteriaceae (CSE) from 2875 enrolled patients were randomly selected during the study. RESULTS CRE colonisation and infections detection rates were 47/2875 (1.6%). Respiratory tract specimens were most frequently seen in 20/47 (42.6%) cases. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the main isolate in 35/47 (74.5%) CRE. As for carbapenemase, KPC-2-producing bacteria was most frequently detected in 38/47 (80.9%) Enterobacteriaceae. No underlying conditions (P  = 0.004), pulmonary diseases (P  = 0.018) and no antibiotics used prior to culture within 30 days (P  < 0.001) were statistically significant between the CRE and CSE groups. CONCLUSION Klebsiellapneumoniae was the main isolate of CRE. The bla KPC-2 was the predominant CRE gene. Underlying conditions especially pulmonary diseases and antibiotics used prior to culture within 30 days represented key risk factors for acquisition of CRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]